Another Chapter
by MarlyCook
Summary: She was just supposed to be another chapter in his love story with someone else.


**Title: **Another Chapter  
**Summary: **She was just supposed to be another chapter in his love story.  
**Author's Note: **This is obviously set before the finale of Dawson's Creek, but it is the year before they go back for Gail's wedding. However, the ending may not be the same.

* * *

_December 23, 2007_

She slipped the gloves off her warm hands and rubbed her icy, chapped nose to bring some warmth back into her face. Tucking the gloves into her pocket, Rory made her way down the Fiction/Literature aisle of Books-a-Million, and scanned the rows.

"Chaucer, Chaucer, Chaucer," she muttered under her breath as she made her way down the alphabet. Her finger slid across the titles until she hit the thick, hardback of _The Canterbury Tales. _"Ah! Chaucer," she exclaimed just as she noticed another hand reaching for the exact book. She looked up and smiled politely at the man holding her gaze with amusement. "Hi, I'm sorry. If I could just get this book, I will be on my way and out of yours."

"This book? No ma'am, my hand happened to be grabbing it before you decided to make your way down here. This is mine," he stated, smiling back at her as he pulled it from the shelf.

"Look, I don't really know who grabbed it first or who saw it first, but I came here strictly to pick this book up before I made my merry way home for the holidays. So if you would just please have some Christmas spirit and find it in your heart to let me take this, I would appreciate it," Rory stated, annoyed at the crowded stores and rude people.

He raised an eyebrow at her response and laughed without humor in his tone, "Listen, sweetheart, I don't know what you think gave you the right to assume you needed this more than I, but you should probably get off your high horse. This book is just as much needed by me as it is you."

"It's _The _freakin' _Canterbury Tales, _for crying out loud, you can order it on Amazon!" Rory exclaimed, shocked at his persistence. "I need this by tomorrow."

"I need it by tonight," he retorted, no longer amused by this woman, but just agitated.

Rory sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to reason this out in her head. She had a plan and no one messed with her plan. "My mother's boyfriend's daughter is spending Christmas with us for the first time. She put this on her list and it is the only thing my mother hasn't bought and I need to get her something. I am out of options here."

"Well, that doesn't sound as dire as my need. I have a new woman in my life who has once or twice said something about her occupation being centered around something about Chaucer and literature and I need to learn this tonight before my date with her tomorrow so I can act like I know what I am talking about," the man rambled, watching as Rory's face went from panic to disgust.

"That's pathetic. I believe we both know who has a more valid reason to purchase this book," she stated, taking it from his unguarded hands. "Have a Merry Christmas."

"Hey, hey, hey," he called after her as she turned on her heel to leave him stunned somewhere in between Cabot and Cohen. "I don't know what makes you think you won this battle, but I am not above going to security cameras to see who had this book first."

A mass of brown waves whipped around to him and she gave him an icy glare. "I want this book to give a fifteen-year-old girl the best Christmas she has ever had and you want it to get laid."

"That is a mighty insulting assumption, I will have you kn-"

"Just look it up online," Rory cut in, glancing at the time on her watch. "The store is closing soon and I am not leaving without this book."

He opened his mouth to object, but instead gave her a small smile and shrugged his shoulders, "I think we can come to an agreement here."

"And what might that be?"

"You tell me all about these tales and you can have the book. However, you can't leave a single detail out."

"The store is closing in ten minutes, I can not possibly get through every story in detail," Rory argued, laughing at the ridiculous notion.

Running his hand through his hair, he looked around at the customers exiting the store and nodded. "You're right. So, I guess the book is mine."

"No, no, no … Look, there is a coffee shop right around the corner that stays open like twenty-four hours. I will tell you everything about this book if I can just have it."

"Deal," he stated, smiling at the petite brunette in front of him.

* * *

"So let me get this straight," the man across the table said with a amused look on his face. "This man rapes a woman and gets a beautiful _and _faithful wife in return?"

Taking the last sip of her coffee, Rory nodded and looked up at him. "It is a very disturbing tale, but yes."

"These are actually really interesting."

Rory grinned and leaned back in her chair with a small laugh. "Yeah, you know reading can be fun. Not just a way to get in someone's pants."

"You are just full of these nasty assumptions, aren't you?"

"I think you said it yourself when you told me the reasoning behind buying this book."

He smirked at her remark and shrugged, glancing down at his empty coffee mug. "Well, are there anymore stories?"

"There are, but I have given you enough to satisfy the lady and it is way past my bedtime," Rory commented, glancing at the clock on the wall. She slipped her arms in her coat and wrapped her scarf around her neck before tugging her gloves back on.

"Well, thank you very much for helping me out. You have been a gem, Ms...?"

"Gilmore. Rory Gilmore," she answered, smiling some at him as she stood up. "And you are very welcome. Good luck."

"And Merry Christmas," he added, smiling back at her. "I hope your mom's boyfriend's daughter enjoys her gift."

Rory laughed, realizing how ridiculous it sounded, "thank you. I never caught your name."

"Pacey," he said, standing up as well. "Pacey Witter."

"Nice to meet you, Pacey," she said as she pushed open the door to walk out into the snow.

* * *

Review? This is just a starter chapter. I have it all planned out from here.


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